Auckland

**Auckland** ... — a wine region on New Zealand's North Island, wrapped around the country's largest city and reaching out to nearby islands like Waiheke. It is small in output but historically important, home to some of the country's oldest wineries. **Wines & grapes** — a warm-climate mix leaning toward Bordeaux reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, along with Syrah and Chardonnay. Waiheke Island in particular has built a reputation for structured red blends. **Character** — the maritime climate is humid and comparatively warm for New Zealand, which favours later-ripening varieties that struggle further south. Wines tend to be riper and rounder than the crisp Sauvignon Blanc most people associate with the country, and boutique scale keeps volumes modest.

Wines

• Chardonnay Maté's Vineyard — Kumeu River
• Estate Chardonnay — Kumeu River
• Kumeu Village Chardonnay — Kumeu River